Newsletter

Letters to the Editor Saturday

I must respond to your article last Sunday on the concerns of the hiring practices in the Savannah Fire Department.

As someone who has tried for many years to be hired by the city of Savannah and the county of Chatham, I can try and be as politically correct as possible, but sometimes honesty is the best policy.

The city and county both have very questionable hiring practices. By my estimation, I believe both the city and county have roughly a three-to-one margin of hiring blacks over whites.

To pick out one department, which is what the National Action Network did, makes it look as if this one particular department is bucking known hiring practices of the city and county.

In the county, why does a Savannah city alderman, Van Johnson, sit in the human resources department where the applications are taken?

Why does any city alderman have anything to do with a human resources department?

The question of ethics, whether honest or not, has to be questioned, with the unusual percentages of black over white. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Is this favoritism, reverse discrimination or just coincidence?

Review all city hiring practices. Get a print out on the percentages of hiring based on race before singling out one particular department.

RANDALL SNEAD

Savannah

Church organist reaches the 60-year mark

In the arena of church service, most servants are taken for granted and not given a lot of thought beyond the normal Sunday morning appearance.

This year we have the sincere pleasure and opportunity to say a humble “thank you” to one of the most unsung heroes of church service — the church organist.

Amongst us in our community, we have a professional who has quietly and unselfishly given, for 60 years, year in and year out, not only his service, but his love and dedication to his church, his peers in the community and to his Lord.

William B. Clarke, Jr. — “Billy” to a lot of us — was born, baptized and raised at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Savannah.

Being a son of the congregation, Billy has had the rare opportunity to serve his church and His Lord here at St. Paul’s since his early teens.

Billy has supported us in battle, marched us in triumph and led us through the good and bad.

It has been my deepest honor and pleasure to serve with one of the finest organists and men of my era. Billy has been, and continues to be, an inspiration and the key to much of my success as director of music.

DONALD R. MARTIN, JR.

Director of Music

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Savannah

Forest Lawn owner trying to run business

After reading so many negative articles and letters concerning the Forest Lawn Mausoleum, I felt that it was time for someone to stand up for the Nikola family.

All of these people that are complaining need to put themselves in their place. They are simply business owners.

My father is among the more than 15,000 people Mr. Nikola mentioned in his guest column who are buried at his cemetery. As a family member, I am very concerned that the maintenance and upkeep be continued as it should be.

In order to do this, any business owner needs cash flow. Sometimes, unfortunately, in order to progress, trees will have to be removed. As Mr. Nikola stated, the majority of the trees that have been removed were not mature trees.

Another point to consider is if the mausoleum is as tasteful as the Bonaventure Funeral Home is, I feel that it will not take away from the beautiful entrance to Bonaventure as well as Forest Lawn.

MARGIE SHIVER

Savannah

Build a casino? Another reader votes ‘yes’

In response to the letter to the editor, “Let’s build casino’s on the mega site,” I think it’s a great idea. I’ve actually stated this many times to my husband when driving by the site. If not there, Hutchinson Island would also be a great location.

A casino could do so much for our economic growth and provide many jobs to our area. Even one casino with a hotel could provide at the least 1,000 jobs.

Think about it. They employ people 24/7 for hospitality, food and beverage, security, parking attendants and casino floor employees, not to mention the many jobs it would provide during construction.

It would be another great venue for concerts as casinos are known for drawing good entertainers. It would bring many people to our area and would increase tourism. It would provide millions in revenue to our state and local governments.

Savannah would do well to think about this before one gets built in Hardeeville, S.C. People travel all the time just to go to Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, Tunica and Biloxi. Why should we let the opportunity for jobs and revenue go to someone else?

KATHY MCDONALD

Townsend

Compulsive Obamacare offers false savings

David Peterson’s recent letter espoused the savings benefits of Obamacare, but all the evidence is to the contrary.

The Congressional Budget Office states that the minimum cost will be $2 trillion to start. The bill will gut Medicare by $500 billion to put towards Obamacare. The bill does not grandfather in current seniors.

Where is the savings? Fraud recovery is a savings? Why don’t they aggressively pursue all known fraud?

The current drug plan is another unfunded entitlement that cannot be sustained without huge tax increases. How is that a savings if 53 percent of taxpayers support the whole pie?

How do they plan on enforcing Obamacare? They are hiring new IRS agents to come after those who choose not to participate. How do you say “loss of personal freedom?” If there is such huge savings within the 2,200-page bill, then why has the White House granted nearly 2,000 waivers to unions and other businesses? Because then bill is untenable as presented.

They are trying to compel the Catholic Church (and others) to pay for birth control. Why does any policy pay for birth control? It is free at numerous clinics‐everywhere. The federal government has no constitutional right to compel anyone to purchase anything.